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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29370942">Keep It Simple</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/backslashdelta/pseuds/backslashdelta'>backslashdelta</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Glee</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Board Games, Canon Divergent, Future Klaine, M/M, Podfic Available, new york klaine, proposal</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 05:41:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,082</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29370942</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/backslashdelta/pseuds/backslashdelta</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes the most meaningful declarations of love are expressed in the simplest of ways.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Blaine Anderson/Kurt Hummel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>37</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Keep It Simple</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohjeezglee/gifts">ohjeezglee</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Diverges from canon at the season 6 wedding, where Klaine instead decide not to get married. Written as a Valentine's gift for the wonderful Sim. And yes love, the title is a Cobra Starship song.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It's a quiet Saturday evening, a welcome break amongst the usual semi-organized chaos their New York City lives have become. Performing in shows, visiting schools and youth groups, they each love their work and chose it with an understanding of the all-over-the-place schedule it entailed, irregular hours and evenings and weekends, but that doesn't mean a night in – and together, at that – isn't a long-overdue occasion that calls for celebration in the form of a few board games and a movie or two.</p>
<p>"More sheep!" Blaine squeals – that really is the only way to describe the sound that comes from his mouth – as he reaches across the table and takes three cards from the pile.</p>
<p>Kurt rolls his eyes fondly. "I don't know why you always insist on trying to hoard all the wool. Sure, sometimes it's a good strategy, but the board is different every time."</p>
<p>"You're just mad you don't have any cute sheep in your hand," Blaine says with a grin, sticking his tongue out at Kurt.</p>
<p>"I don't need any sheep," Kurt says with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Are you doing anything other than adding to your flock, shepherd?"</p>
<p>Blaine takes a moment to look down at his cards before shaking his head, "No."</p>
<p>"Okay," Kurt says, reaching across the table to grab the dice and roll them. "Seven," he says, a little smug as Blaine's smile falters. He picks up the robber from the board, pauses for a moment as he considers his choice before placing the piece down on the pasture tile where Blaine has a settlement and a city, then looks at his boyfriend expectantly.</p>
<p>"Really? You had to put it <em>there</em>?" Blaine pouts.</p>
<p>"I didn't have to," Kurt says, trying to suppress his grin but not quite succeeding, "but I wanted to. Cards," he prompts, and Blaine grumbles as he reluctantly holds his cards out to Kurt. Kurt picks one from Blaine's hand, flips it around to see wool. He looks back up at Blaine, who's grinning now. "Do you have anything <em>other</em> than wool in your hand?" he asks.</p>
<p>"Nope," Blaine says smugly, like it's the greatest accomplishment he could have, like the point of the game is to collect as many sheep as possible rather than actually <em>win</em>, and it will never not be endearing.</p>
<p>That said, Kurt <em>does</em> know the point of the game, and he intends to win.</p>
<p>He slides the wool card into his hand, then pulls two grain and three ore cards, laying them in their respective piles as he speaks. "I'm going to build a city, and I'm going to put it right <em>here,</em>" he says, replacing a harbor settlement with the city piece, "and that's ten victory points. I win."</p>
<p>"Wait, what?" Blaine says, surprised, laying his cards down on the table as he examines the board, and a small laugh bubbles from Kurt because Blaine always manages to be shocked when Kurt wins despite it happening nearly every time they play.</p>
<p>"Two settlements and three cities is eight points, and longest road gives me ten," Kurt explains with a grin.</p>
<p>"Shit," Blaine says, leaning back in his chair and pulling his eyes from the board to look at Kurt again, "I always forget about longest road."</p>
<p>"I know," Kurt acknowledges, because he <em>does</em>.</p>
<p>"Well, that's fine. As long as I have my sheep I'm happy."</p>
<p>"I suppose I'll let you keep your sheep," Kurt muses, settling back in his own chair and crossing his arms, watching Blaine with an amused look on his face.</p>
<p>"Ah, the benevolent dictator you are," Blaine says solemnly – or at least, he tries, but he can't quite hide the grin trying to break through the expression.</p>
<p>"You're such a dork," Kurt says fondly.</p>
<p>Blaine laughs at that. "And you aren't? Are you trying to tell me that you <em>don't</em> insist on being the top hat every single time we play Monopoly?" he asks amusedly.</p>
<p>"That's not the same," Kurt argues, "it doesn't have anything to do with strategy."</p>
<p>"Then why do you always have to be that piece?"</p>
<p>"Because it's a <em>top hat</em>, Blaine, what else do you expect me to be? A battleship? A <em>wheelbarrow</em>? Please."</p>
<p>"What about the thimble? You like sewing," Blaine counters.</p>
<p>"Blaine, it's <em>Monopoly</em>, do you think people are going to do business with the man wearing an elegant top hat, or the man wearing a <em>thimble</em>?"</p>
<p>Blaine laughs, a full, hearty belly-laugh. "Kurt, you know that's not what the pieces mean, that has <em>nothing</em> to do with the game."</p>
<p>"Then why do I always win?" Kurt asks, like that proves his point despite it absolutely <em>not</em> proving his point.</p>
<p>"You always win because you're too competitive for your own good," Blaine says with a fond smile.</p>
<p>"And because you always end up trading me your railroads," Kurt points out.</p>
<p>"I can't help it," Blaine pouts, "you always make me good offers."</p>
<p>"It's called <em>strategy</em>, Blaine," Kurt says with a grin.</p>
<p>"Whatever," Blaine says dismissively, "you're still just as much of a dork as I am."</p>
<p>"I guess we're both dorks," Kurt relents with a small smile.</p>
<p>"I guess so," Blaine agrees, a fresh grin spreading across his face.</p>
<p>"I think I'm board gamed out for the evening," Kurt says, stretching his arms out over his head. "How about a movie?"</p>
<p>"A movie sounds great," Blaine says. "And I think it's my turn to pick, too," he adds with a smirk.</p>
<p>"Unfortunately you're right," Kurt agrees with a look of faux displeasure. "Why don't you go pick something out? I'm going to put something comfier on."</p>
<p>"Sure," Blaine agrees as he stands from his chair, "I'll try to pick something good." He plants a light kiss on Kurt's cheek as he passes, and Kurt smiles as he turns to watch him disappear into the next room.</p>
<p>Kurt makes his way down the hall to their bedroom, pulls open the drawer where he keeps his lounging clothes. He reaches in to pull out a pair of loose pants, but pauses when he feels his hand brush against the velvet box tucked away in the back corner. After a quick glance toward the doorway to make sure Blaine hasn't followed, he pulls the box out, feels the weight of it in his palm as he flips the lid open and admires the simple gold band nestled inside. He runs a finger along the smooth metal, cool under the soft pad of his fingertip, and he wonders... why not now?</p>
<p>He's had the ring for a while, known this is what he's wanted for months. When they'd gotten back together they'd laid out some ground rules, decided that when – <em>if</em> – the time came, Kurt would be the one to propose. Blaine was understandably nervous about being the one to do it, given how messily things had ended between them last time, and Kurt didn't want the pressure of being asked before he was ready again, so it was really the perfect solution for them both.</p>
<p>But he knows he's ready now, and he knows <em>Blaine</em> is ready, and he's been trying to figure out the best way to ask, something extravagant and elaborate and perfect because <em>Blaine</em> is perfect, Blaine deserves the perfect proposal, Blaine had pulled out all the stop when he'd proposed the first time and Kurt felt like he had all that to live up to, but... maybe he doesn't.</p>
<p>That proposal was the old them. Flashy and grand and performative, like it was trying to make up for what was missing in their relationship with how <em>big</em> it was, but they don't need that anymore, not now. They're solid now, more solid than they've ever been, older and wiser and <em>better</em>, the same but so different all at once, and the more he thinks about it the more he realizes he doesn't need some grand gesture. This is <em>Blaine</em>. Blaine, the love of his life, Blaine who he wants to spend the rest of his life with, Blaine who he <em>will</em> spend the rest of his life with. Blaine who is sitting in the room down the hall in this New York apartment they share together, picking out a movie, unaware of what rests in Kurt's hand mere feet away from him.</p>
<p>Blaine who is tragically not Kurt's fiancé.</p>
<p>Yet.</p>
<p>Kurt decides it's time that changed.</p>
<p>He snaps the box closed, slips it into his pocket, and makes his way out of the room, back down the hallway and into the living room where Blaine is still flipping through movies on Netflix.</p>
<p>Blaine looks up as Kurt enters, tilting his head slightly and giving him a funny look. "You didn't change."</p>
<p>"I think I've changed quite a bit, actually," Kurt argues, corner of his mouth twitching up in a smirk.</p>
<p>Blaine rolls his eyes fondly. "You know what I mean."</p>
<p>"Did you pick a movie yet?" Kurt asks, perching himself on the edge of the couch next to Blaine.</p>
<p>"No, not yet," Blaine answers as he continues flipping through them. "There's just so many options."</p>
<p>They sit there in silence for a minute, Blaine watching the television and Kurt watching Blaine, until Blaine turns to look at Kurt again and asks, "Is everything okay?"</p>
<p>"Yeah, yeah, everything's fine," Kurt reassures.</p>
<p>"So why are you staring? You're being weird," Blaine says, frowning ever-so-slightly.</p>
<p>"I just love you," Kurt says simply, smiles at the faint blush that colours Blaine's cheeks at his words even after all these years of hearing them.</p>
<p>"I love you, too," Blaine says.</p>
<p>"Blaine," Kurt starts, "you are the best thing that's ever happened to me."</p>
<p>"You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, too," Blaine responds, smiling still, but there's a question in his eyes.</p>
<p>"Waking up next to you every morning," Kurt continues, trying not to let his nerves get the best of him as Blaine watches him curiously, intently, "makes me feel like the luckiest man alive. Knowing that you're here, that you'll always <em>be</em> here, it means everything to me."</p>
<p>He slips down from the couch, onto one knee on the floor in front of Blaine, and Blaine lets out a small gasp, a whispered "Kurt," as he brings a hand up to his face, eyes wide as the realization of what's happening hits him.</p>
<p>"When you took my hand on that staircase so many years ago now, it felt <em>right</em>. Felt like our hands were meant to hold each other, fearlessly and forever," Kurt continues, can't help but smile a little more widely at the nod to Blaine's proposal speech, and Blaine lets out a watery, disbelieving laugh.</p>
<p>"You are the love of my life, Blaine, and I cannot imagine, don't <em>want</em> to imagine, living even a single day of the rest of my life without you by my side."</p>
<p>He reaches into his pocket then, pulls out the small box, pops it open and holds it out toward Blaine.</p>
<p>"Blaine Anderson," he goes on. "My amazing friend, my one true love," another smirk and watery laugh from Blaine as he repeats Blaine's words from all those years ago back to him. "Will you do me the honour of becoming my husband?"</p>
<p>Blaine just stares at him, eyes wide and watery, and Kurt squirms a little under the scrutiny. "Is it the ring?" he asks jokingly, a nervous laugh bubbling out of him, "Because we can swap it out, if you want–"</p>
<p>"Yes," Blaine says quickly, apparently pulled from his stunned silence by Kurt's nervous babbling, "yes, Kurt, yes I will marry you, yes!"</p>
<p>"Oh thank god," Kurt says with relief – because really that was a lot more nerve-wracking than it should have been, how did Blaine make it look so effortless the first time around? – as he's being pulled up to the couch again and into an eager kiss.</p>
<p>They break away from each other, Blaine staring back at Kurt moon-eyed, and Kurt moves to pull the ring from the box, takes Blaine's hand and slips it onto his finger.</p>
<p>Blaine stares down at it for a moment, moves his hand and watches as the light glints off the metal, then looks back up to Kurt. "God, I love you," he mutters, then pulls Kurt back into another kiss.</p>
<p>"Should we call anyone?" Blaine asks when they pull away again, cheeks flushed, grinning widely.</p>
<p>"It can wait till morning," Kurt decides, "I think I'd rather spend a nice quiet evening with my fiancé."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><div class="children module" id="children">
  <b class="heading">Works inspired by this one:</b>
  <ul>
    <li>
        <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29408907">[Podfic of] Keep It Simple</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/backslashdelta/pseuds/backslashdelta_podfics">backslashdelta_podfics (backslashdelta)</a>
    </li>
  </ul>
</div></div></div>
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